As of Wednesday, it is legal for permit holders in Connecticut to hunt deer with a shotgun on state land and with a rifle on private lands of more than 10 acres with the owner's permission, according to state officials.

There are 17 designated state-owned hunting lands in Connecticut and numerous privately-owned lands with more than enough space to hunt, making the state a fertile ground for deer come hunting season.

Deer hunting season in Connecticut is split into four separate groups: bow hunting, which began in mid-September and runs though the end of December on state lands and until the end of January on private lands; shotgun hunting on state designated lands, which began Wednesday and runs through Dec. 9 in most locations; shotgun and rifle hunting on private lands of 10 acres or more, which follows about the same time frame as shotgun hunting on state lands; and muzzleloader, which runs from Dec. 10 through Dec. 21 on state land and Dec. 10 through Dec. 31 on private lands.

Connecticut has a history of safe hunting, said Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman Dwayne Gardner, but stressed that being aware of other hunters in the area should always be a hunter's top priority.

"That's the most important thing," Gardner said. "Make sure that you know what your shot is, what you're shooting at and be careful."

Connecticut Light & Power also sent out a statement Wednesday reminding hunters to be vigilant of utility workers in wooded areas, where a number of the company's power lines are located.

"We know that our rights-of-way provide great locations for outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking and hunting but we want everyone to be safe while enjoying themselves," said Bruce J. Bolger, director of safety at CL&P's parent company, Northeast Utilities. "Our utility crews work in these wooded-areas, so it's important that everyone is vigilant and cautious - especially hunters."

In 2013, the harvest accounted for more than 12,000 deer, mostly taken from the eastern portion of the state. Every deer killed while hunting must be reported to the DEEP, according to officials.

Andrew LaBonte, a wildlife biologist for DEEP, said that many hunters' questions can be answered directly on the department's website, and noted that hunting permits can even be obtained that way.

"If a hunter wants to go out hunting tomorrow, they can go online and purchase a permit today," LaBonte said.